ASIA/MYANMAR - New President and Christian Vice president elected by Parliament

Tuesday, 15 March 2016 politics reconciliation religious minorities

Profilo facebook di Henry Van Thio

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Yangon (Agenzia Fides) - The Burmese Parliament elected U Kyaw Htin, historic leader of the "National League for Democracy" as the new President of the country, with 360 votes: U Kyaw Htin, trustworthy man of leader Aung San Suu Kyi, becomes the first civilian leader, after more than 50 years of military rule.
Representatives of the League concentrated the votes on U Htin Kyaw, a 69 year-old academic and longtime collaborator of Aung San Suu Kyi. "Today's result is a victory for Aung San Suu Kyi and for democracy", said U Kyaw Htin, leaving Parliament after the vote.
The two vice presidents elected are former General U Myint Swe, military candidate, elected with 213 votes, and Christian Henry Van Thio, always member of the League, belonging to the ethnic minority chin, who becomes the second vice president with 79 votes. Aung San Suu Kyi, who led her party to victory, could not run for president due to a clause "ad personam" contained in the Constitution. She will continue to be the moral leader of the country and to have a close political relationship with the President.
Reached by Agenzia Fides, Fr. Paul Awng Dang, Director of Caritas in the Diocese of Banmaw, in the north of the country, told Fides: "We have high hopes now. It is an important step in the history of the country, because the government is back in the hands of civilians. We ask the new leaders to work immediately for national reconciliation with ethnic minorities. Here in Banmaw we are still struggling with thousands of refugees and the civil war still continues. The presence of a Christian Vice president of ethnic chin is a good sign: he comes from one of the smallest minorities and from a poor area. We ask peace to be a priority". (PA) (Agenzia Fides 15/03/2016)